Drive unit



Sept. 9, 1947. iW.GU IER 2,427;135

- DRIVE mm Filed Dec. 17, '1943 4 Sheets-Sheet'l INVENTOR William 'Gq/rt ATTORNEY- T Sept. 9, 1947. w. GUIER nnxvnumw Filed bee. 17; 1943 4 ShetsShet 2 INVENTOR W////'am Gu/kr.

ATTORNEY Sept. 9, 1947. IW. GU1ER 2,427,135

DRIVE UNIT Filed Dec. 17, 194:5 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Jig. a.

4 IN VEN TOR: VIM/10m Gale:

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 9, 1947 UNITED STATES PAT- ENT OFFICE 'Willi-ain Guier, Tulsa, Okla, assignor' to Unit Rig & Equipment Company, Tulsa, Okla... a

partnership Application December 17, I943, serial No. 514,593

10 Claims.

1 This invention relates to a power transmitting apparatus which includes -a plurality of relatively small "high-speed engines connected together for furnishing a given horsepower, and has for its principal objects to provide a power unit of this character wherein the engines are compounded through a speed reducing transmission for actuating a common driven member in forward or reverse directions; to provide a simple compact power unit that is of light weight and low in initial cost; to provide a'power unit wherein anyone oi'the enginesinaybe utilized to maintain continuity of service in either direction of drive; to provide means "for selectively disconnectingone of the engines frointhe power'trans- 'mitting apparatus 'so that the disconnected jengine may be used for purposes independently 0f the other engines; to provide a unit construction capable of parts standardization; to provide a power unit 'whelifl all the parts are i'eadily accessible for 'inspect'icin andrepair and to .provide a power unit having single controls adapted for above and ether "object's hereinafter pointed out, the resultingpower is especially adapted formarine duty. Thi is particularly true because a plurality of small eomflpciinded engines present many advantages cver'the single heavy duty slow speed reversing type Diesel engine, heretofore used in powering of ships. The single type reversing engines 'were'nece'ssarily of massive size and heavy construction; consequently, they are of high initial cost and require considerable en- 'gine room space which can be otherwise used for cargo purposes.

Also, a plurality of small compounded engines is especially adapted to furnish the power necessary to propel a vessel ur'ide'r any condition and one of the engines may be disconnected to operate winches and other equipment while the vessel is under .power.

I have, therefore, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, an adaption of my invention "to the powering of ships wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a .power unit enibodying the features of the present invention.

Fig.2 is a perspective view of the transmission element of the unit as Viewed from one Side "thereof.

Fig. 3 is a similar perspective view of the transmissionas viewed fro'inthe opposite side.

'4 "is an enlarged horizontal section through "the transmission element of the unit.

Fig. 5 is a cross seet'ion en the line 5 5 of Fig. 4.

'6 is a cross section on the line 6-6 of Fig.

Fig. '7 is a diagrammatic viewer the stern -of a ship equipped *a power unit.

Fig. 8 a modified. grouping of power units whichjpermits *use of one unit for a purop's'e independent of that-of the other units.

Fig. *Qis a r'ln'd elevation-6f a modified forth of transmission element.

Referring more in detail to thedrawings:

I designates a sewer nnit constructed in accordance with the presenti'nv'ention and which includes a pair of relatively small engines such as "are at presentinanufactured "in quantity pro= auction, for example, a "pair of light-weight, high-speed lfiies'len'girresl and 3, and Wliichare connected in compound drive by a transmission 4 so that the conibined power of bdth engines niay be'transniittedthrough a'shaft 5 tea driven mechanism.

In the illustrated instance, the engines "are spaced apart and connected hy'th'e transmission so that the shaft 5 extendsb'etween the engines "and connects with the mech'anis'm'to b'e actuated. When thus arranged, "the unit is extremely coinpat and require a relatively s'n'iall space in an engine 'rooin. The transmission "4 includes 'a Housing '6 'ha'ving'para'lle'l walls 1 and 8, connect bed by a sulist'antially fiat to-p 9 and side walls in and IT that extend dbwfiwardly and inwardly to C'O'fi fie'ct at their ldwei eflds 'bY-a tl'bu'ghs'liape'd bbtfdih 2"whi'6h forms a lubricant c011- taining sump [3. The Walls 1'0 and TI merge in rounded curves with the top 9 as-indicated at J4 and 1-5 to accommodate ilrivi'ng shafts f6 and n.

The shafts i i-and IT are located coa-Xially with respect 'to the power shafts oi the engines 'Zand 3 and extend transversely of the housing'fi. The shafts have reduced ends- 118 and 1 9 preferahly 'journalled in anti-friction bearings 20 and 2| that are carried Within hearing housing '22 and 23 mounted in the openings 21 and 2'5 -form ed in the wall "8; The opposite ends of theshaf-ts T6 and I have similarly reduced bearing portions 26 journalled in anti-friction bearings 21 that are carried in hous ngs #23: mounted inopeningsprovided in inewa'n "I. Projecting "from the bearing portions '26 of the driving shafts are reduced' extensions 29 respectivel mounting clutches 30 and 31 for 'connectiiigand disconnecting the engines "with respect to the "driving shafts"l"6- and H.

The clutches 3B and 3! may be of any suitable construction but are illustrated in the drawings as including inner and outer drums 32 and 33. Each inner drum 32 includes a flange 34 adapted to be connected with a mating flange 35 on the terminal end of a respective engine shaft by fastening devices such as cap-screws 36, Fig. l. The inner'drums have peripherial faces 31 adapted to be engaged by shoes 38 carried within inflatable rings 39 that are attached to the inner circumferential faces All! of the outer drums as shown in Fig. 4. The outer drums also include disk portions 4! that are carried on hubs 42 secured to the reduced ends of the shaftsby splines 43. Cooperating with the splines are jam nuts M threaded on reduced terminals 65 of the shaft extensions to retain the hubs in abutting contact with spacers 46 that retain the inner races of the anti-friction bearings 25 in engagement with shoulders l! formed by reduction in shaft diameter. The driving shafts are provided with longitudinal bores 48 for conducting compressed air to the inflatable rings 39. The ends of the axial bores adjacent the clutches are connected by tubular ducts 39 with channels 59 formed within the disk portions of the outer drums as shown in Fig. 4. The terminal ends of the channels being connected with the inflatable rings 39 through connections 51. Pipes 52 leading from a source of compressed air supply are connected with the opposite ends of the bores 48 through glands 53. It is thus obvious that when compressed air is supplied through the bores 48 and 69, channels 50 and connections the rings 39 are expanded between the drums to press the shoes 38 into driven contact with the clutch faces 31 of the inner drum so that when the engines are operated the driving shafts are rotated in the direction of engine crank shaft rotation.

Mounted in openings 54 and 55 that are provided in opposite side walls 1 and 8 at points intermediate the journals for the driving shafts l6 and I? are clutch housings 58 and 51 each comprising a cylinder 58.

The cylinder forming housing 56 is welded directly in the opening 54 but the cylinder forming the housing 5'! carries an annular flange 59 that is removably attached to the edge surrounding the opening 55 to permit access to the interior of the transmission housing. The cylinder for the housing 56 is closed at the outer end by a plate 69 having a central housing 6% for an anti-friction bearing 62. The outer end of the cylinder forming the housing 51 is closed by a similar ring 63 carrying a bearing housing 6 for a self-aligning bearing 65.

Rotatably mounted in the bearings 82 and 65 is a shaft 66 having, spacing sleeves 61 and G8 engaging the respective sides of the inner race of the bearing 85 whereby the shaft is retained from longitudinal play within the transmission housing. The self-aligning bearing is carried on a sleeve 69 that is secured on the shaft by a lock-nut l8 threaded on a reduced end ll of the shaft. Formed on the shaft intermediate the side walls 1 and 8 is a collar i2 which spaces pairs of anti-friction bearings 13 and i4 that rotatably mount sprockets l5v and Iii having spaced sets of sprocket teeth 'H-.'l8 and 'Li80 respectively. The sprocket teeth of eachv set are arranged. in spaced series so as to provide a sufficient number of driving chains to transmit safely'the power of the engines. 1

Secured to the hubs of the sprockets are ders clutches 8i and 82 including drums 83 provided with internal teeth 8A for engaging the external teeth 84 on clutch plates 85 and 86. Cooperating with the clutch drum of each clutch is a hub member 8? having a backing plate 83 adapted to be frictionally engaged by the inner clutch plates 86. Slidably keyed to the hub of each clutch are plates 89 and 99, the plate 89 engaging between the plates 85 and S6 and the plate 99 engaging against the outer face of the plate 85 of the clutches. The plates 9% carry cylin- 9! coaxially of the shaft and cooperate with the hubs to form annular piston chambers 92 in which are mounted annular pistons 93 having the hub portions 9t thereof supported in fixed relation on the hubs 8'! by means of jam nuts 95 that are threaded on the hubs to retain the hubs of the piston in engagement with shoulders 96 formed on the hubs. The clutch plates are normally retained in freely spaced relation by coil springs 91. In order to effect driving engagement of the clutch plates, con pressed air is admitted to the piston chambers through bores 98 and 98 respectively that are provided in the driving shaft and which terminate in lateral ports opening into the piston chambers. When air is admitted to the bores through a gland we on the outer end of the shaft 63, the plates carrying the cylinders iii are caused to move in driving contact with the clutch platesfifi and shift the clutch plates 35 into a driving engagement with the clutch plates and the clutch plates 99 into driving connection with plate 68 so that the clutch plates 85, 89, and 83 are clamped between the backing and cylinder plates 88 and 90. When thus engaged the clutches connect their respective sprockets with the driven shaft.

Mounted on the driving shaft iii in aligning registry with the sprocket teeth i! is a sprocket Mil having a plurality of teeth corresponding to the spaced teeth of the sprocket set Tlv of the sprocket l5 and operating thereover is a plurality of chains I02 whereby the driven shaft 68 is caused to be rotated by the sprocket 15. Likewise fixed on the shaft i7 is a sprocket Hi3 having teeth registering with the teeth of the set 1'8 on the sprocket "f5 and operating over the teeth are chains H14.

It is obvious that when the driving shafts I6 and I? are actuated, both shafts are effective in applying power to the. sprocket l5 and if the sprocket is connected with the driven shaft through the clutch 3!, both engines .are effective in transmitting power to the driving shaft. However, if one of the driving shaft clutches 30 or 3! is disengaged the power transmitted to the driven shaft isthat of the engine which is then in connection with the other driving shaft.

Since engines of the type referred to are not equipped with reversing mechanism, means are provided to actuate the driven shaft in reverse direction under the combined power of both engines or by the power of, one engine independently ofthe other engine. This is effected by one or the other of the engines by way of the sprocket l6. Fixed on the driving shaft I! is a sprocket H35 having sets of sprocket teeth I05 and H31 registering with the teeth '19 and 8B on the sprocket l6. Mounted in the housing intermediate the shafts ES and 66 is an idler shaft 38 carrying an idler sprocket M39. -The idler sprocket also has sets of teeth H0 registering with the sets of teeth 19 and 80 on the sprocket i6 and sprocket Hi5. Operating over the sprockets H35 and I08 are sets of endless chains HI n H2 havin the lo er un l I the eof em gaging the teeth on the sprocket 1.6 at a point above the horizontal diameter thereof whereby reverse rotation of the shaft '66 is effected through one or both engines.

In order to adjust tension of the reversing chains III and I I2 the ends of the idler shaft It}; has eccentrically positioned trunnions 4 that are mounted in bearings H5 on the side walls I and 8 of the housing. The idler shaft is rocked on its trunnions by a lever arm II B, ad- .iu t b v an ho o. a r ck t t a dep n from the top of the housing, the arm being se cured t t brac et by a pin U8, w i h s projected through one of a series of openings H9 in the arm which registers with one of a series of openings I28 of the bracket when the chains have the proper tension. In order to provide a support for the unit, the walls Ill and I I of the transmission housing 6 have laterally extending arms {2| and {22 mounted on longitudinal channels I23 and I24 which carry the outer sides of the respective engines. Cooperating with the channels I23, and I24, to support the inner sides of the engines, are similar channels I25 and I26 having their ends welded to plates I27 and I23.

attached to the wall I of the transmission housing. The transmission housing may be supported on a suitable frame work I29 attached to arms Itd projecting laterally from the clutch housing 56, and 51 as best Shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inelusive.

Assuming that a power unit assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention is to be installed within the stern of a vessel, the assembly may be arranged with the engines located in the direction of the stern so that the driving shaft 5 extends between the engines to connect with the propeller through a shaft extension I32, the shaft 5 being connected with the driven shaft 66 of the transmission by a coupling I35 having flanges I3It and I35. connected by suitable fastening devices.

If the vessel is to be operated by double screws,

as shown in Fig. 7, two power units may be em- When it isdesired to reverse. movement of the vessel the propeller rotation is reversed under the power of both engines by effecting disconnection of the cluteh B 5 and effecting connection of the clutch 82 so that the sprocket I5 is in driving connection with the shafts 66. Rotation of the shafts I 5 and H in a. counterclockwise direction imparts a reverse rotation to the sp TOQKets l5 to, reverse the propeller andveflect movement of the. vessel in the opposite direction.

Itis. obvious that the propeller is rotated at a slower speed than the. speed of the engines due to the. differential size of the sprockets. on the driving shaftrelative to the sprockets on the driven sha t.t shou d. one f the-engines a l tooperate, t e es el m be aetuetedp y. the. othe en ine,

upon disconnection of the clutch for the. engine. ut of operation. For xample. f the en in 2 hould fail to operate or require repairs, th clutch 3.11 is disengaged so that the shaft I6 may r tate freely in its hearings. Power of the engine 3. is then applied through the shaft [1, sprocket [03. chain I04, sprocket 1.5, and clutch 8 I to the driven shaft 66. of the transmission. hould it become necessary to. reverse the propeller when the engine 2 is out of service, the clutch 81 is disconnected from driving relation with the shaft. 66 and the sprocket I6 is connected in driving relation with the shaft 65. The sprocket [0.5 then drives the sprocket It through. the chains HI and I12 so that power is applied to the, shaft. 66. in a reversed direction. Should the engine, designated 3, be the one out of service, the clutch 3| is disconnected and the clutch 30, is connected. Power of the engine. 2 is then directly. applied to. the shaft I6. One or the other of the sprockets 15 or '16., depending upon the. desired direction of propulsion, is. engaged to actuate the. shaft 6.6. If the sprocket i5 is connected with the shaft 66. and the sprocket H5 is disconnected therewith, then the drive is through the chains 1:2 and. m. in a forward direction from both engines. If the clutch 82 is the one engaged and the clutch Bl: disengaged, the drive for one engine. is through sprocket Iill, chain I62, sprocket I5. chain I841, sprocket I03, shaft I'I, sprocket I05. and the sets of chains II I and 2 to reverserotation of the shaft 55. The drive. ofthe other engine is directly to the shaft IT- andthen through the sprocket H15. and reverse ing chains II I; and H21.

It is thus obvious that the power unit provides for continuity of service because if one of the engines fails. the other engine is effective and can be. depended upon to. propel the vessel with littleloss of speed.

The down engine. can be repaired without interruption andcan be. put into service without stopping the propeller merely by admitting the compressed air into clutches 3.9. and 3|. as the case may be. On larger vessels where twin screw power units are used, (Fig. 7), substantially greater power is provided and continuity of service is correspondingly assured by reason of 'the greater number of the engines, The single unit, however, is desirable in small vessels particularly fishing boats, as a single screw propeller is less likely to a keyway I31 for mounting a sprocket or pulley,

not shown, that will be utilized for driving the net winch mechanism. In order to disconnect the. shaft. from drive. relation with. the sprocket I03. the sprocket is fixed to the. shaft through a clutch. collar MB. that is slidably secured by a spline. I35. The clutch. collar hasjaws I40 meshing with. jaws. MI; on the sprocket I03. The clutch. collar is moved to and. from. drivingcon nection with. the sprocket by a suitable shift mechanism including. alever. I42.

Ln Fig; 8 is illustrated amodified. arrangement of compound. engine drive. In. this instance. the ends of the driving shafts of the transmission. I43 areconnected: through. manually. actuated clutches I44, I45, I45, and I4I with engines I48,

I49, I50, and I5I respectively. In this instance the engines I49 and I5I must have crank shafts having anti-clockwise rotation, or they may be of a type equipped with a front power take-off that permits taking full horsepower from the front ends of the crankshafts. One or more of the engines may be provided on the ends opposite the transmission with a power take-off I52, thus, for example, when the clutch I46 is disconnected the power take-off I52 permits the use of the engine, I50 independently of the other three engines. With the clutch I46 disengaged, the engine I 50 may be throttled to any desired speed while the remaining engines are operated to maintain the desired speed of the vessel.

In Fig. 9 is illustrated a modified form of transmission wherein the reverse drive involves the use of a pair of idler gears I53 and I54 spaced apart and arranged radially with respect to the driven sprocket I55 on the driven shaft I56. Thi arrangement of idlers rovides for more extended contact of the lower run I5'I of the reverse chain with the sprocket I55. In this form of transmission the end walls of the transmission housing are provided with downwardly extending slots or notches I55 which are closed by plates I51 carrying the bearing housing I58 that mount the ends of the driving shafts.

The entire top of the housing has an opening closed by a cover plate I59. In making repairs the cover plate I59 may be removed after which the fastening devices which secure the plates I51 are removed and the entire driving shaft assemblies may be lifted from the transmission through the notch-like openings I56.

It is obvious that power unit constructed as above described is of light weight per horsepower, is low in initial cost per horsepower, occupies a relatively small amount of engine room space, provides continuity of service, is easy to repair, and provides for standardization of parts in the manufacture thereof.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a plurality of engines and a member actuated thereby including, a rotatable member for each engine, clutches connecting the rotatable members with their respective engine for actuation thereby, a driven member, a driving connection between each rotatable member and the driven member to drive the driven member in the direction of engine operation, a reverse driving connection between one of said rotatable members and the driven member, clutches in said driving connections, and means for effecting selective engagement of one of the last named clutches and release of the other.

2. In combination with a plurality of engines and a member actuated thereby including a rotatable member for each engine, clutches connecting the rotatable members with their respective engines for actuation thereby, a driven memher, a driving connection between each rotatable member and the driven member to drive the driven member in the direction of engine operation, a reverse driving connection between one of said rotatable members and the driven member, clutches in said driving connections, means for effecting selective engagement of one of the last named clutches and release of the other, and means for independently actuating the first named clutches.

3. An engine compounding transmission unit including a pair of driving shafts, a driven shaft, sprockets on the driving shafts, sprocket means on the driven shaft separate chains operating over the driving shaft sprockets and the sprocket means on the driven shaft, a second sprocket means on the driven shaft, an idler sprocket aligned with the second sprocket means, a sprocket on one of the driving shafts aligned with the idler sprocket, a chain operating over the last named sprocket and the idler sprocket and having a run of said chain in driving contact with the second sprocket means to reverse rotation of the second sprocket means relatively to the first sprocket means, and clutch means for selective connection of each sprocket means with the driven shaft.

4. An engine compounding transmission unit including a pair of driving shafts, a driven shaft, sprockets on the driving shafts, sprocket means on the driven shaft separate chains operating over the driving shaft sprockets and the sprocket means on the driven shaft, a second sprocket means on the driven shaft, an idler sprocket aligned with the second sprocket means, a sprocket on one of the driving shafts aligned with the idler sprocket, a chain operating over the last named sprocket and the idler sprocket and having a run of said chain in driving contact with the second sprocket means to reverse rotation of the second sprocket means relatively to the first sprocket means, clutches for selective connection of the sprocket means with the driven shaft, engine connections on the driving shafts, and separate clutches in said engine connections.

5. A compounding transmission unit including a pair of driving shafts, a driven shaft, sprockets on the driving shafts, relatively larger sprocket means on the driven shaft separate chains operating over each driven shaft sprocket and the sprocket means on the driven shaft, a second sprocket means on the driven shaft substantially corresponding in diameter to the first named sprocket means, an idler sprocket aligned with the second sprocket means, a sprocket on one of the driving shafts having substantially the diameter of the first named sprockets and aligned with the idler sprocket, a chain operating over the last named sprocket and the idler sprocket and having a run thereof in driving contact with the second sprocket means to reverse rotation of the second sprocket means relatively to the first sprocket means, clutches for selective connection of the respective sprocket means with the driven shaft and clutches for controlling rotation of the driving shafts.

6. A compounding transmission unit including a pair of driving shafts, a driven shaft, sprockets on the driving shafts, a clutch for selectively connecting one of the sprockets with it shaft, sprocket means on the driven shaft separate chains operating over each driven shaft sprocket and the sprocket means on the driven shaft, a second sprocket means on the driven shaft substantially corresponding in diameter to the first named sprocket means, an idler sprocket aligned with the second sprocket means, a sprocket on one of the driving shafts having substantially the diameter of the first named sprockets and aligned with the idler sprocket, a chain operating over the last named sprocket and the idler sprocket and having a run thereof in driving contact with the second sprocket means to reverse rotation of the second sprocket means relatively to the first sprocket means, clutches for selective connection of the respective sprocket means with the driven shaft and clutches for controlling rotation of the driving shafts.

7. In an engine powered ship, a propeller shaft, an engine on opposite sides of the axis of the propeller shaft, a rotatable member for each engine, clutches connecting the rotatable members with their respective engine for actuation thereby, a driven member connected with the .propeller shaft, 2. driving connection between each rotatable member and the driven member to drive the driven member in the direction of engine operation, a reverse driving connection between one of the rotatable members and the driven member, clutches in the driving connections with the driven member, and means for effecting engagement of one of the clutches and disengagement of the other clutch to drive the propeller shaft in forward and reverse directions.

8. A power unit including a transmission housing, spaced pairs of engine supporting sills connected with the housing and extending laterally therefrom, an engine carried by each pair of sills, a rotatable member in the housing for each engine, clutches connecting the rotatable members with their respective engine for actuation thereby, a driven member in the housing, a driving connection in the housing between each rotatable member and the driven member to drive the driven member in the direction of engine operation, a reverse driving connection in the housing between one of said rotatable members and the driven member, clutches in the driving connections, means for effecting selective engagement of one of the last-named clutches and release of the other, and a shaft extension connected with the driven member and located between said engines.

9. In an engine powered ship, a power unit including a plurality of engines, a propeller driving shaft, a rotatable member for each engine,

clutches connecting the rotatable members with their respective engine for actuation thereby, a driving connection between each rotatable member and the propeller driving shaft to drive said shaft in one direction, a reverse driving connection between one of said rotatable members and the propeller driving shaft, clutches in the driving connections, means for effecting selective engagement of one of the last-named clutches and release of the other, and a separate power take-off for one of said engines.

10. In combination with a plurality of engines and a member actuated thereby including, a ro tatable member for each engine, clutches connecting the rotatable members with their respective engine for actuation thereby, a driven memher, a driving connection between each rotatable member and the driven member to drive the driven member in the direction of engine operation, a reverse driving connection between one of said rotatable members and the driven member, clutches in said driving connections, means for effecting selective engagement of one of the lastnamed clutches and release of the other, and a power talre-off connection with one of said engines.

WILLIAM GUIER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are oi record in the file or this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

